I am planning to purchase a new SUV. I have shortlisted two vehicles. Toyota Hyryder non-hybrid top model (manual) and Kia Seltos manual top model. Which one should I prefer? My daily running is very less around 10-15 kms.

autocar.india

•42m

Pick the Hyundai Creta diesel. For your mix of long highway runs and city duty, it gives the most complete package right now - a strong diesel engine for easy cruising on the highway, light controls for city driving, good mileage, and a big boot that fits in more than the Hyryder strong-hybrid. On the highway, the diesel’s easy torque makes overtaking simple and relaxed, and it rides comfortably too. In the city, the light steering and the torque converter automatic work smoothly, so it never feels tiring to drive.The Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder is the best for city use if you choose the strong-hybrid, but you get less boot space, and it feels a bit strained when loaded at highway speeds. The Nissan Tekton looks promising, but it is new, and Nissan’s network and resale are still not as wide as Hyundai’s, so I’d wait to see how it settles.Coming from an EcoSport, you’ll miss the driving dynamics, but you’ll gain space, comfort and tech.

Hyundai Creta

Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder

Nissan Tekton

autocar.india

•11h

If you can charge at home, go for the Hyundai Creta Electric. Your 50km Mumbai city run suits an EV perfectly, and this one will do the coastal road crawl very smoothly and deal with stop-start traffic well, thanks to its nicely tuned one-pedal driving mode. Hyundai’s service consistency in Mumbai is better than Tata’s today, and the Creta’s size is easier to park than a Harrier. Running costs in the city drop sharply versus petrol or diesel, and your budget will comfortably get you the larger 51.4kWh battery, which, as per our testing, delivers a combined real-world range of 430km.The Kia Seltos is a fine pick only if you cannot charge at home or at the office. In that case, pick the 1.5 NA IVT combo for the most seamless drive in the city. Kia’s service is also generally hassle-free.One honest catch with the Creta Electric is that you need a reliable charging point at home or work, and the upfront cost is higher than that of a petrol Seltos. If you have a fixed parking spot with a plug, it is the easiest, cheapest way to do your daily Bandra East to Fort grind.

Hyundai Creta Electric

Kia Seltos

Tata Harrier

autocar.india

•1h

We wouldn't let concerns around future ethanol blends stop you from buying the Kia Seltos Turbo Petrol DCT. The car is E20 compliant, and while there has been plenty of discussion around E25, E27 and even E30, there is currently no official roadmap for moving beyond E20. Even if higher blends are introduced gradually in the future, manufacturers engineer a degree of tolerance into E20-compatible engines. The most likely impact would be a slight reduction in fuel efficiency and marginally faster wear of some fuel-system components over a very long period, not a major reliability issue.It's also highly unlikely that E20 fuel would simply disappear overnight. Any future transition to higher ethanol blends would almost certainly be gradual, giving both manufacturers and owners time to adapt. If you plan to keep the car for 12-15 years, we don't see ethanol compatibility as a compelling reason to avoid it today.As for resale, we wouldn't expect an E20-compliant Seltos to be at any disadvantage compared to its rivals. Resale values are influenced far more by factors such as the brand's reputation, service history, condition, mileage and overall demand in the used car market than by concerns over ethanol compatibility. If you maintain the car well, there's no reason to expect it to depreciate disproportionately because of E20.

Kia Seltos